Chinese Teachers Force Children to Report that They Follow ‘No Religion’

Chinese Teachers Force Children to Report that They Follow ‘No Religion’



More than 300 Christian children in two different schools in China’s Zhejiangprovince were told by their teachers that they had to fill out a form saying they follow “no religion.” 


According to World Watch Monitor, which “tells the stories of Christians under pressure for their faith,” a source who wished to remain anonymous said Chinese children have been filling out a form to state their religion for years, but this was the first year there was pushback against children who said they were Christians.


The source said that when children filled out the form and indicated they were Christians, their teachers told them to fill out the form again and choose “no religion” instead. The source said these children come from “families of fervent believers who do not compromise their faith,” so more than half of the children checked the box indicating they were Christians a second time.


The children who said they were Christians were taken aside by their teachers to be “counseled” or warned about the consequences of identifying as a Christian. In the end, the source reported, all but 1 of the 300 children eventually checked “no religion.”


The Chinese government funds and controls all the schools in the country, so they use them to inculcate communist ideology and dissuade children from exploring Christianity. The source believes one reason for…

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Crack-Down on Christians in Iran Continues with Two More Prison Sentences

Crack-Down on Christians in Iran Continues with Two More Prison Sentences



JERUSALEM, October 12, 2018 (Morning Star News) – Rights groups learned last week that two Christians in Iran have been sentenced to prison, the latest in a series of convictions on fabricated charges.


Saheb Fadaei, already serving a 10-year prison sentence in Tehran, and Fatimeh Bakherti, both converts from Islam, were sentenced on Sept. 22 to 18 months and 12 months respectively for “spreading propaganda against the regime,” a common charge, according to Miles Windsor, advocacy and development manager of Middle East Concern (MEC).


“It is essentially used along with charges such as ‘acting against national security’ as a broad charge against Christians,” Windsor said. “And it will relate to innocent activities as members of a house church.”


Bakherti, 37, had been harassed by security agents for more than a year and interrogated at least once before her sentencing, according to advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). She was arrested on May 25, 2017 along with several others during a police raid on her home.


The verdict, which is being appealed, stated that house church discussions of Christian doctrine regarding the ascendancy of Christ and the ultimate authority of the Bible were interpreted as attacks on Islam, local sources told CSW.


Such a statement reveals the true religious-based motives behind the arrests, Windsor…

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Joel Osteen Reveals How ‘Billy Graham Rule’ Keeps Him Accountable in #MeToo Era

Joel Osteen Reveals How ‘Billy Graham Rule’ Keeps Him Accountable in #MeToo Era



Joel Osteen opened up recently about how he assures his protection from sexual misconduct allegations by following the “Billy Graham Rule.”


According to CBN News, the “Billy Graham Rule,” which Vice President Mike Pence famously adheres too as well, encourages men not to put themselves in positions where they are alone with women they are not married to.


“I do and I always have, and my father did too,” Osteen told The Christian Post in an interview about his new book.


“I think the key for me on that is to start every day – I take the first half hour of every day to search my own heart to ask God, ‘Am I on track and doing this for the right reasons? Am I following what you want me to do?’ To me, you can have a lot of accountability and that is important. But I think you can hide things too.”


Osteen says at the end of the day, it’s a matter of the condition of your heart.


“I think it’s important to be honest before God every day and check the reasons why you are doing what you are doing. To me, when I stand before God having a pure heart, I can go out and be my best,” he said.


While talking about his new book, Next Level Thinking: 10 Powerful Thoughts for a Successful and Abundant Life, with the Christian Post, Osteen also touched on the importance of mental health among pastors. The topic of mental health among pastors has no doubt been…

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Seeds of Destiny 13 October 2018 Devotional: Outlook – A Product Of Inward-Look

Topic: Outlook – A Product Of Inward-Look [Seeds of Destiny 13 October 2018 Devotional]

Scripture: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil:.. Luke 6:45

Thought For The Day: The outward manifestation of a person reveals the content of his/her heart.

Sometime ago, a Christian lady was traveling in a commercial vehicle from Abuja to Lagos, Nigeria. Right in the bus, she strongly felt led to preach the gospel but she noticed that her dressing was not decent, so she decided not to preach. What a heart-touching lesson!

Beloved, any dressing or lifestyle that can hinder you from representing God in the public is not correct. Most people backup their indecency by saying that what they wear does not matter because God looks at the heart. That is not true!

Now imagine this; would you be excited if you see a pastor preaching on the altar with a ring on his ear, another one on his nose, his trousers sagging and dreadlocks on his head? Most members will leave the church and never return.

The truth is, you know a mad man not just by checking the state of his mind but by the crazy things you see him manifest outwardly. In the same manner, when you see a person seductively, suggestively or provocatively dressed, that person could be morally loose, have high tendencies for immorality or nursing immoral thoughts in his/her heart regardless of the title or position he/she occupies in church. Such a person can never be taken seriously by unbelievers.

Thus, the outward manifestation of a person reveals the content of his/her heart.

Beloved, make up your mind to be decent in character, dressing and lifestyle.

Remember This: The outward manifestation of a person reveals the content of his/her heart.

Assignments:

1. Whatever is not your intention must not command your attention; don’t be taken for what you don’t want to be known for. Never let your appearance misrepresent you.
2. Refuse to appear in such a way that would lead other people to hell fire.

Prayer: O Lord, I thank You for Your Word to me today. I make demands on Your grace to maintain a decent lifestyle in dressing. I refuse to be a source of temptation to people around me, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: SEVEN-WAY LIFESTYLE TEST

Quote: Who you look at determines what you look like; if you look at Christ, you must look like Christ. Culled from 365 WISDOM CAPSULES by Dr Paul Enenche.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 22:1 to 23:20, 2 Thessalonians1:1 to 12, Psalm 83:1 ton 18, Proverbs 25:11 to 14

Amazing Fact: There are about 6,263 species of lizards in the world. Only two are venomous but the venom is not powerful enough to kill human beings

Today In History: 13/10/1987 Costa Rican President Oscar Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize

Don’t Forget To Attend: The Six Over flooded Sunday Services tomorrow by 6:00am, 7:20am, 8:40am, 10:00am, 11:20am and 12:40pm respectively. Come with your friends and loved ones. God bless you.

Also Read: Click HERE to read Other Inspirational Messages by Pastor Paul Enenche

Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Paul Enenche of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Pastor Paul and Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

The post Seeds of Destiny 13 October 2018 Devotional: Outlook – A Product Of Inward-Look appeared first on Flatimes.

DCLM Daily Manna 13 October 2018 – Bearing The Right Fruit

Topic: Bearing The Right Fruit [DCLM Daily Manna 13 October 2018 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]

Text: Luke 3:1-14 (KJV)

Key Verse: “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham (Luke 3:8).

MESSAGE:

The coming of John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus Christ marked the end of about four hundred years of “famine” of the word of God as prophesied (Amos 8:11). Isaiah, over seven hundred years before, had also prophesied that John would come “to prepare… the way of the LORD…” (Isaiah 40:3).

And as he came with the word, hungry masses trooped out to hear his message of repentance and baptism. He preached that they must repent and bring forth “fruits worthy of repentance” as a token of genuine faith. A mere lip confession of being the biological seeds of Abraham was not enough guarantee against “the axe” of judgement that was already laid on the root of the trees to cut down anyone who failed to bear the right kind of fruit.

Salvation experience, which begins with genuine repentance and renunciation of sin and faith in the finished work of Christ, marks the beginning of a true Christian life. Genuine salvation produces a positive change of character – an internal transformation that metamorphoses into a visible and undeniable godly lifestyle. A born-again Christian thus becomes “a new creature” after old things have passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Without doubt, genuine repentance produces genuine salvation. Unfortunately, many modern-day preachers have excluded repentance from sin in their sermon, in what they call “positive gospel”. All the prophets, the apostles, emphasised repentance as a precondition for God’s forgiveness. “Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out…” (Acts 3:19). You can do this by first acknowledging that you are a sinner, confessing yours sins and praying and asking God for forgiveness. He forgives the penitent sinner.

Thought For The Day: The fruits, not leaves, make the difference.

Bible Reading In One Year: Matthew 12:22; Luke 11

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Deeper Christian Life Ministry, DCLM Daily Manna HERE

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

Flatimes’ Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

The post DCLM Daily Manna 13 October 2018 – Bearing The Right Fruit appeared first on Flatimes.

Former Publisher of The Christian Post Indicted for Fraud

Former Publisher of The Christian Post Indicted for Fraud



This week William C. Anderson, the former publisher of The Christian Post and CEO of the Christian Media Corporation, and Etienne Uzac, the CEO of IBT Media and former owner of Newsweek, were arraigned this week for fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and falsifying business documents.


According to Christianity Today, investigators are calling Anderson’s and Uzac’s actions “a scheme to obtain millions in loans through false pretenses.”


The pair were brought up on these charges after the completion of an extensive investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.


The indictment alleges that the former company heads and their companies Christian Media Corporation (CMC) and IBT Media/Newsweek, falsified financial audits in order to obtain $10 million in loans which was then used to pay for day to day operations, rather than what the lenders were informed it would be used on, high-performance equipment. 


The D.A.’s report states that “The defendants then transferred the funds through multiple corporate accounts to mask their origin, and to disguise the fact that the funds weren’t being used to purchase equipment. The majority of the money was used to fund day-to-day operations and for purposes unrelated to the stated purpose of the financing.”


Both executives have pleaded not guilty to the charges, vehemently denying the claims. The executives also…

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Open Heaven 13 October 2018 – The Fight For Your Soul

Open Heaven 13 October 2018 Saturday Daily Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye – The Fight For Your Soul

Topic: The Fight For Your Soul (Open Heaven 13 October 2018)

Memorise: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”- Hebrews 4:12

Read: 1 John 4:1-6 (KJV)

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Bible in One Year: Isaiah 58-60, Luke 6:1-23

Open Heaven 13 October 2018 Saturday MESSAGE:

The greatest battle that has ever been fought and is still being fought is in the heart of man. This battle is being fought by God on one side and the devil on the opposing side. Whoever wins this battle ultimately wins control over the soul of the individual over whom the battle in being fought. The devil has been interested in the souls of men ever since God created us, and his plan has always been to destroy as many of us as possible. Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed the devils plan to us and offers us God’s solution, saying in John 10:10:

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Through the ages, the devil has succeeded in taking over the lives of so many people, and for this reason, the Lord said in Matthew 7:13:

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:”

In spite of all the devil may try, my prayer for you is that I will see you in heaven in Jesus’ Name.

In the world today, there is so much wickedness and confusion everywhere. Sin has become so common place that it is very strange and rare to see someone who is pure and refuses to be a part of the evil of the day. These are some of the signs Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:3-31.

In order to further achieve his aims, the devil has employed false prophets into his service. They go around disseminating false doctrines which are even more dangerous to Christians, because they can make a person think that he or she is saved and safe while they are actually on their way to hell. One of the reasons why many of these false prophets are so successful is that they keep telling people what they want to hear and not what the Bible says (2 Timothy 4:3). The Bible is the written words of God, and so, anyone who deviates from it by as much as a dot is not of God and doesn’t have your best interest at heart (2 Peter 1:20-21). God’s word is absolute, and it must be preached in its pure form. The best way to guard your heart in these perilous times is to fill it with the word of God and to constantly mediate on the word as much as possible. Once you give your life to Christ and are sanctified by God, it is important to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit so that Jesus Himself can fill you to overflow with His Spirit and mark you for Himself.

Open Heaven 13 October 2018 Saturday Prayer Point:

Father, let Your word have free course in my heart and fill me to overflow with Your Spirit.

Also Read: Open Heaven 12 October 2018 – Born For A Purpose

Open Heaven 13 October 2018 Saturday Hymn 15: Nearer My God To Thee

1. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

2. Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

3. There let me see the sight, an open Heaven;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

4. Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

Open Heaven 13 October 2018 Saturday Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven 13 October 2018 Saturday Daily Devotional.

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

The post Open Heaven 13 October 2018 – The Fight For Your Soul appeared first on Flatimes.

Planned Parenthood Designs ‘Abortion Underground Railroad’ for Post-Roe Age

Planned Parenthood Designs ‘Abortion Underground Railroad’ for Post-Roe Age



Fearful of a future where Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion rights activists have announced a three-prong plan to guarantee access to abortion in what one supporter labeled an “abortion underground railroad.”


The “Care For All” plan announced by Planned Parenthood Action notes that there are “13 abortion-related cases that are just one step away from the Supreme Court” and that “20 states are poised to ban abortion should Roe v. Wade be overturned.”


If the issue of abortion is tossed back to the states, Planned Parenthood wants to ensure that abortion in the states where it remains legal is as accessible as possible. Writer Amanda Marcotte at Salon.com called it an “abortion underground railroad,” referencing the network of locations in the 1800s where slaves could hide out and make their way to freedom.


The Planned Parenthood plan, first reported by Limestone’s, involves three prongs:


  • Expanding services in states where abortion is likely to remain legal.Planned Parenthood also will invest in “technology and other resources to help people living in hostile states access [to] abortion, no matter what.” From Planned Parenthood’s perspective, this will allow women in other states quick access to abortions when they cross state lines. The plan also seeks to use telemedicine, in which doctors give prescriptions to patients in…

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Archaeologists Discover 2,000-Y-O Stone Artifact With Jerusalem Inscription – Urban Christian News

A significant archaeological discovery of a stone artifact with the full Hebrew spelling of “Jerusalem” dating back 2,000 years ago was revealed on Tuesday.

The Israel Antiquities Authority and the Israel Museum, which announced the discovery in a press release, explained that the stone inscription dates back to the Second Temple Period, or the first century C.E., and spells Jerusalem the same way it’s spelled today.

Yuval Baruch, Jerusalem regional archaeologist of the Israel Antiquities Authority, and professor Ronny Reich of Haifa University, who read and studied the inscription, explained the biblical significance of the find.

“First and Second Temple period inscriptions mentioning Jerusalem are quite rare. But even more unique is the complete spelling of the name as we know it today, which usually appears in the shorthand version. This is the only stone inscription of the Second Temple period known where the full spelling appears,” they said.

“This spelling is only known in one other instance, on a coin of the Great Revolt against the Romans (66–70 CE). The unusual spelling is also attested to in the Bible, where Jerusalem appears 660 times, with only five mentions — of a relatively late date — having the full spelling (Jeremiah 26:18, Esther 2:6, 2 Chronicles 25:1, 2 Chronicles 32: 9, and 2 Chronicles 25: 1).”

The inscription was originally found in the winter of 2017 during an excavation near the Jerusalem International Convention Center.

Researchers found the foundations of a Roman structure supported by stone columns. The Hebrew inscription in…

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Michigan College Cancels Pastor Appreciation Lunch after Atheist Groups Complains

Michigan College Cancels Pastor Appreciation Lunch after Atheist Groups Complains



A community college in Michigan has cancelled its annual Montcalm County Pastors Appreciation lunch after a member of an atheist organization complained.


According to Christian News, Mitch Kahle, co-founder of the Michigan Association of Civil Rights Activists, filed the complaint, saying the lunch violated the constitution law on separation of church and state.


“The 2018 Montcalm County Pastor Appreciation Lunch scheduled for Oct. 11 at Montcalm Community College’s Greenville campus has been cancelled due to concerns expressed by an outside organization,” the college wrote in a press release.


“The concerns expressed have distracted from the true intent of the event, and the college does not wish to have its involvement negatively impact the community service opportunity provided by the Pastor Appreciation Lunch, the release added.


Kahle wrote in his complaint that the event uses public tax dollars.


“MCC is a public institution of higher learning and knowledge – not a church of Christian ideology,” he said. “Public tax dollars, resources, and employees, may not be used to fund, organize, support, coordinate, promote, or hold religious activities or events.”


But Montcalm Community College Bob Ferrentino said the event was for fellowship for pastors.


“We felt it was kind of harmless,” he said. “It was certainly not in any…

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